Hi everyone- well, we are gettin' buried here in N.Ca, just doesn't want to stop snowing! Finally broke down and bought a tractor for miscellaneous projects, manure management, and to help us deal with all this white stuff, but I need some serious pointers! We bought a Kubota L3400 with FEL, 4-in1 bucket, and a box scraper. Would love to have had a front plow blade, but it wasn't feasible for now... father-in-law HAD to have that 4-in-1, that little bugger sucked up the remainder of our tractor budget!!!

First question- I read somewhere while researching our purchase about using the 'float position' for moving snow- but I haven't figured out how to set the FEL to float...manual is less than clear!

Second- used the box scraper for pulling snow away from garage door and off concrete pad, worked beautifully, but how the heck do you get the snow out of the box?? Had to use a shovel, not exactly convenient... should I take the scarifiers off the box for this use? Maybe then I could lift the box and give it a little bump to drop the snow out??

Thirdly- we chained up for the snow and the chains want to bind on the check chains/turn buckle occasionally- is this a common problem or is there an adjustment we can make? We just took delivery of it with the implements in place and started working...

As you may have guessed, I am a brand new tractor operator . Today was my first day on a tractor, EVER. My father-in-law has run some heavier equipment, but he's pretty new, too.
Hoping someone will take pity and tell us what's what before we break somethin', ! Thanks in advance for any help!!!
Kris, Shingletown, Ca

Kris,

First things first.

To use the float position on your loader, simply push the control lever ALL THE WAY forward. You will feel the control lever go into a detent, and it will remain all the way forward. If it returns to neutral, you didn't push it far enough ahead.

You can use the float after you have adjusted the bucket for level.....that is.... with the cutting edge (leading edge) of the bucket level with the ground, or tipped up just slightly.

With the bucket level, you can now push the control level all the way forward into the float position. Now simply drive ahead. The bucket will follow the contour of the ground as you travel forward.

Go slowly. Should your bucket hit a curb, or a crack in the concrete driveway, it will bring you to an instant stop. Please wear your seatbelt. When using the loader to move snow, you can easily strike hidden objects. Go slow....especially in areas where you know curbs exist.

If you find that your bucket is skinning the grass in the yard, it's because you have your bucket tipped downward just a bit too far. It takes a little practice to figure out how to use the bucket leveling indicator. I generally find the level spot, then tip the bucket back just a fraction, to prevent digging into the grass.

I've used the box scraper for moving snow, but I usually use it as a rear blade. Pushing the snow with the box blade usually works better than attempting to drag it. However, I would remove the scarifier teeth. You can also adjust the rate at which your box blade falls, when you lower it. There should be a knob located between your knees that allows you to adjust the rate of fall. Open that valve all the way. Doing this will allow the box blade to fall like a rock, which will help dislodge any stuck snow.

Not sure what you're getting at with the chains. Maybe somebody here has a better understanding of that problem. I'm trying to get a grasp of the situation, but for some reason it just doesn't click with me.

Since you are new to tractors, I really think it would be best if you would look up the TEN COMMANDMENTS OF TRACTOR SAFETY on the internet, and then take a few minutes to read through it. It is so easy to get hurt or killed on a tractor, without some basic understanding of the deadly situations that pop up every day. Please.....

Wow, thanks for that fabulous information- you are a life saver! I will check out the ten commandments, thanks so much for that- my dad owned a heavy equipment operation/road construction company, so I was raised with an appreciation for the dangers involved. Luckily, our property is pretty level- that has always been one of my biggest worries with heavy equipment.
No curbs in these parts- you'd have to drive 60 miles to find the nearest one, , but we do have boulders to watch out for... looking forward to trying the float, and yep, I do everything slowly . Thanks so much again, I truly appreciate you taking the time!
Kris

If you use the box scraper to push you should be aware that hitting something could do some serious damage. The 3 point hitch is designed to pull, not push, and many have been damaged by pushing. If you go easy you should be fine.

[edit] Regarding the chains, sometimes the wheels can be flipped around to widen the stance and gain some clearance. Yours may or may not be reversible, you might check your manual or ask the dealer. If the tires are loaded they are extremely heavy and you may be better off paying a tire shop or your dealer to come out and flip them for you. A back injury, lost finger or 400 lb. tire falling against your leg isn't worth the few bucks you would save diy.

Yes, I had read that the 3 pt hitch would not take heavy pushing- thanks for the warning! I don't plan to do much of that with it for that reason, just using it to pull snow away from the garage and to spread out and incorporate manure if we ever thaw out! Our wheel weights weren't in when we picked up the tractor, so it's going back shortly for those- I'll ask then about the possibility of reversing the wheels... again, thank you guys so much!